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Why Your Home Air Filter’s MPR Matters
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Dust mites in your bed’s blankets, sheets or pillows may cause allergies to worsen, and hypoallergenic bedding can offer some relief. But not all products are created equal. Understanding the differences between the materials considered safer for sensitive sinuses can help you make smarter choices for your household.
Natural hypoallergenic bedding materials
In some cases, the source of a material (whether plant or animal) can have natural defense mechanisms against pests like mold and bacteria. The silkworm is a prime example of this phenomenon. Hypoallergenic sheets made from natural fibers make great options for people who can’t tolerate synthetic materials.
Silk hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Linens, comforters/duvets and pillow fill
● Pros: Wicks moisture; resists mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi; soft on sensitive skin
● Cons: Less durable, more expensiveLatex hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Mattresses (latex foam), membrane/barrier mattress covers and membrane/barrier pillow covers
● Pros: Latex wicks away moisture; resists mold and dust mites
● Cons: An allergen for some people; not machine washable; not breathable and requires another layer, such as cotton or wool, for comfortable sleepingWool hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Blankets, comforters/duvets (cover and fill) and pillow fill
● Pros: Wicks moisture; resists mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi; a heavier, warmer option for cold weather, depending on thickness
● Cons: Depending on the exact fabric, wool can be irritating for sensitive skin. It’s typically not machine washable.100% cotton or organic cotton hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: All bedding materials
● Pros: Breathable and comfortable, many different options for thread count, easy to launder
● Cons: As a base layer, cotton isn’t an impermeable barrierDown (goose or duck) hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Pillow and comforter/duvet fill
● Pros: Breathable, offers an evenly distributed thickness in duvets and comforters, lightweight
● Cons: Made of feathers, down can be an allergy trigger for some peopleBamboo hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Linens and Duvet/comforter covers
● Pros: Easy to launder, durable and soft, sustainably grown
● Cons: Tends to shrink and wrinkle more than other fabricsLyocell hypoallergenic bedding (made from cellulose often derived from wood pulp, found mainly under the brand name TENCEL®)
● Used in: Linens, comforter/duvet covers and blankets
● Pros: Soft, durable, sustainably grown and produced, wrinkle-resistant, drapes well
● Cons: As it’s highly absorbent, lyocell can be more susceptible to mildewSilk hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Linens, comforters/duvets and pillow fill
● Pros: Wicks moisture; resists mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi; soft on sensitive skin
● Cons: Less durable, more expensiveLatex hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Mattresses (latex foam), membrane/barrier mattress covers and membrane/barrier pillow covers
● Pros: Latex wicks away moisture; resists mold and dust mites
● Cons: An allergen for some people; not machine washable; not breathable and requires another layer, such as cotton or wool, for comfortable sleepingWool hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Blankets, comforters/duvets (cover and fill) and pillow fill
● Pros: Wicks moisture; resists mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi; a heavier, warmer option for cold weather, depending on thickness
● Cons: Depending on the exact fabric, wool can be irritating for sensitive skin. It’s typically not machine washable.100% cotton or organic cotton hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: All bedding materials
● Pros: Breathable and comfortable, many different options for thread count, easy to launder
● Cons: As a base layer, cotton isn’t an impermeable barrierDown (goose or duck) hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Pillow and comforter/duvet fill
● Pros: Breathable, offers an evenly distributed thickness in duvets and comforters, lightweight
● Cons: Made of feathers, down can be an allergy trigger for some peopleBamboo hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Linens and Duvet/comforter covers
● Pros: Easy to launder, durable and soft, sustainably grown
● Cons: Tends to shrink and wrinkle more than other fabricsLyocell hypoallergenic bedding (made from cellulose often derived from wood pulp, found mainly under the brand name TENCEL®)
● Used in: Linens, comforter/duvet covers and blankets
● Pros: Soft, durable, sustainably grown and produced, wrinkle-resistant, drapes well
● Cons: As it’s highly absorbent, lyocell can be more susceptible to mildewSilk hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Linens, comforters/duvets and pillow fill
● Pros: Wicks moisture; resists mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi; soft on sensitive skin
● Cons: Less durable, more expensiveLatex hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Mattresses (latex foam), membrane/barrier mattress covers and membrane/barrier pillow covers
● Pros: Latex wicks away moisture; resists mold and dust mites
● Cons: An allergen for some people; not machine washable; not breathable and requires another layer, such as cotton or wool, for comfortable sleepingWool hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Blankets, comforters/duvets (cover and fill) and pillow fill
● Pros: Wicks moisture; resists mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi; a heavier, warmer option for cold weather, depending on thickness
● Cons: Depending on the exact fabric, wool can be irritating for sensitive skin. It’s typically not machine washable.100% cotton or organic cotton hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: All bedding materials
● Pros: Breathable and comfortable, many different options for thread count, easy to launder
● Cons: As a base layer, cotton isn’t an impermeable barrierDown (goose or duck) hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Pillow and comforter/duvet fill
● Pros: Breathable, offers an evenly distributed thickness in duvets and comforters, lightweight
● Cons: Made of feathers, down can be an allergy trigger for some peopleBamboo hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Linens and Duvet/comforter covers
● Pros: Easy to launder, durable and soft, sustainably grown
● Cons: Tends to shrink and wrinkle more than other fabricsLyocell hypoallergenic bedding (made from cellulose often derived from wood pulp, found mainly under the brand name TENCEL®)
● Used in: Linens, comforter/duvet covers and blankets
● Pros: Soft, durable, sustainably grown and produced, wrinkle-resistant, drapes well
● Cons: As it’s highly absorbent, lyocell can be more susceptible to mildew-
Synthetic hypoallergenic bedding materials
Look for bedding materials that have been sustainably and safely manufactured, since some engineered fabrics can use chemical processes that release or retain toxins.
Down alternative (rayon or polyester) hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Comforter/duvet and pillow fill
● Pros: Offers the same kind of lightweight thickness as down, but without the risk of triggering allergies; easier to clean and maintain; inexpensive
● Cons: Doesn’t regulate temperature as well as natural down fibersPolyester hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Mattress covers, linens and comforter/duvet covers
● Pros: Mildew resistant, soft and lightweight, inexpensive, durable, wrinkle- and shrink-resistant, easy to launder
● Cons: Not breathableDown alternative (rayon or polyester) hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Comforter/duvet and pillow fill
● Pros: Offers the same kind of lightweight thickness as down, but without the risk of triggering allergies; easier to clean and maintain; inexpensive
● Cons: Doesn’t regulate temperature as well as natural down fibersPolyester hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Mattress covers, linens and comforter/duvet covers
● Pros: Mildew resistant, soft and lightweight, inexpensive, durable, wrinkle- and shrink-resistant, easy to launder
● Cons: Not breathableDown alternative (rayon or polyester) hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Comforter/duvet and pillow fill
● Pros: Offers the same kind of lightweight thickness as down, but without the risk of triggering allergies; easier to clean and maintain; inexpensive
● Cons: Doesn’t regulate temperature as well as natural down fibersPolyester hypoallergenic bedding
● Used in: Mattress covers, linens and comforter/duvet covers
● Pros: Mildew resistant, soft and lightweight, inexpensive, durable, wrinkle- and shrink-resistant, easy to launder
● Cons: Not breathable-
More bedding dust protection
In addition to hypoallergenic bedding, you should also be sure to:
- Wash bed linens every 1-2 weeks using hot water
- Regularly dust and vacuum the home
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